Railway-switch mechanism



R. M. EVANS RAILWAY SW`ITCH MECHANI SM sept, 14, 1926.A

Filed Jan, '30.31929 INVENTOR ,El/N5 ATTORNEY earner orrics.

ROBERT MIIJLS EVANS,' OF SEATTL, WASHINGTON.

RAl-LVAY-SVTTCH lVE CHANISM.

Application filed January 3o, 1.925. Serial No. 84,875.

This invention relates to improvements .in railway switch mechanism and more particularly to manually actuated mechanism whereby the tongues ofl" a switch are shined' 'I' from one position to another.

It is the principal ob-iect ot the invention to provide mechanism designed for a double tongue switch, which is easily operated and which permits readjiistment oit the switch tongues at any time that might be necessary d'ue to shitting ot the main track or due to widening of the gauge.

Otherobjects reside in the various details of construction and combination ot parts is hereinafter described.

In accomplishingthese and' other objects, I have provided the improved details et construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accoinpanying;` drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a switch box and switch actuating` mechanism embodied by the present invention.

Figure .2 is a longitudinal sectional view j ust within the forward wall portion ot the box.

'Figure 3 isa plan view of the bor; and switch actuating mechanism. I

Figure Llisa cross section taken ony line 4 4 in Figure 3.

Figur 5 is a plan view illustrating; the location of andmethod of attachment ot switch mechanism ort the present character with a double tongue switch.

Referring more in detail to the drawings- The present device is designed especially for use in connection with railways in pavement and the switch actuating mechanism is contained in a box l which is to be set in the pavement between the rails ot a track flush with the surface and it is equipped with a top cover 2 attached to the box by hinges 3., In the opposite end walls l and 5' okt' the box are openings 6 and 7 through which rods 8 and 9 are slidably` extended and these rods, atvtheir inner ends, are connected, as presently described,` to the switch actuating mechanism and at their outer ends are operatively connected to the switch tongues, which in Figure 5 are designated by reference characters T4@ and the main track rails are designated at Fixed to the back wall 10 of the box midway between the end walls is a strip of angle iron 11 having a horizontally extended top flange 12 beneath which a block 13 is slda- Vrthe lever is connected `entends horizontally bly held for longitudinal 4direction of the box. This bloclr in turn is mounted on a base plate 14 which is slidable on the base wall 15 of the movement back andifoith inthel box and which at its oppositey ends, which-- extend somewhat beyond the ends of the block and also beyond the ends ofthe angle iron, has upturned angesl, each provided with an upwardly opening' notch 17 through which the inner ends ofv the rods 8 and 9,y respectively7 are extended.;l the rods being connected to. `their respective flanges by means of nuts 18 which are threaded thereonto and tightened against opposite sides of the flanges. slidable movement in opposite directions on the base plate 14V by means of bolts 19 and 2O which are threaded intothe opposite ends of the bloolr with their outer ends disposed in sp ced relation to the adjacent flanges 16. These bolts are adjustable into and from the block so as to provide for varying the distance between their ends and the flanges and lock nuts 22 and 23 are threaded onto the bolts against the ends of the block to retain them at adjusted positions.

The switch tongues T-T are moved from one position to another for the purpose of openingor closing` the switch, by longitudinal shifting` ot the base rods i and' 9' are connected. This is accomplishedby shifting'ot block 13, and` its shi-ttinp; means comprises a hand lever 25 normally disposed withinthefront `of the box and adapted to swing in a vertical plane. pivotally near one end to the block 13 by means ota pin 26 that and inwardly through the lever and into the block, and, mounted in the adjacent end of the lever-is an outwardly projecting study 28 tlfiat is slidable in a vertical :roove 29 formed between shoulders 30 and 31 onv the inne-r tace of the. front wall or" the boei. At the swinging. or outer endet the lever is a weight 83 for the purpose o' carryin` the lever downi` ardly after it has been swung,` upwardly from one side vpast the center point. The-weighted lever is adapted, when i-n either functional position, to lie wholly within the switch box so that the cover may be closed down.

lt is preferred that Vthe distance between 26 and stud 28, and the adjustment of bolts 19 and 20 in the ends of block 13. be such that the distance of Vmovement of the block 13 caused by swinging the lever 25 rlhe block 13 is limited in its plate '14 towhich the from one side to the other be approximately twice that of the plate 111.

Assuming that the device is so constructed, in using the same, it is placed centrally of or between the switch tongues with the outer ends of reds 8 and 9 operatively connected to the switch tongues 'Il-T and with their inner ends extended through the open-- ings (l and 7 and connected to the flanges 16 at the ends of the plate 14. l/Vhen it is desired to throw the switch from one position to another, the cover 2 is opened and the weighted end of lever 25 is swung upwardly and over the center point and is pushed down downward on the lever with the foot.

into the other end of the box. As the lever is thus swung over, the stud 28 slides downwardly in slot or groove 29 and acts as a fulcrum by means of which the lever, through the connecting pin 26, causes the block 13 to he shifted from one end toward the other end of the boX so that the outer end of either-'the bolt 19 or 2() is brought against the adjacent flange 16 of plate la to effect movement of the plate whereby the switch tongues, through connecting rods 8 and 9, are moved.

It is readily apparent thatV any desired reladjustment of the switch tongues with respect to each other may be made by the adjustable connections provided between the flanged ends of the base plate 14 and that any readjustment in distance of movement ofthe switch tongues that might be required, due to shifting of the track or variation of the gauge may be made by adjusting either one or both of the bolts 19 and 2f) into or from the block 13. With this construction the actuating lever 25 may be swung to substantially a vertical position in shifting the switch block before the end of a holt 19 or 2O comes in contact with a flange 1G and 'then the worl required for shifting the switch tongues may be done by pushing The weight 33 assists in carrying the lever down into the box.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 1. In a railway switch mechanism, a housing, a plate shiftable in opposite directions in said housing and adapted for operative connection with switch tongues, a shifting block mounted on said plate and having a lost motion connection therewith which permits limited movement of the block in opposite 'directions and a switch actuating lever having operative connection with the housing and with the block whereby the latter may be shifted to effect movement of the plate.

2. In a railway switch mechanism, a housing, a plate slidable in opposite directions in said housing and having operative connection with switch tongues, a shifting block slidable on said plate in opposite directions corresponding to movement of the plate, and adjustable means for limiting the movement of the bloclr on the plate in either direction and through which an operative connection between the block and plate is effected and a switch actuating lever operatively connected with the housing and with the block whereby thelatter may be shifted to effect movement of the plate.

3. In a switch mechanism of the character described, a switch box provided with a wall slot, a plate slidable longitudinally in the box and adapted for operative connection at its ends with switch tongues, a block slidable a limited distance in opposite directions o-n said plate and by means of which said plate may be shifted and a switch actuating lever having a stud at one end pivotally slidable in the said slot and having a pivot pin connection with the block whereby movement of the lever from one position to the other effects shifting of the block and a resultant movement of the plate.

s. In a railway switch mechanism, a switch bor provided with a vertical slot in a side wall, a plate mounted for longitudina shifting in the box and having flanges at its opposite ends, switch tongue actuating rods connected with said flanges, a block longitudinally slidable on the plate, bolts adjustably mounted in the opposite ends of the blocl for engagement with said flanges to limit its slidable movement, a switch lever having a stud at one end pivotally slidable in the said slot and having al pivot pin connection near said stud with the said block whereby the latter may be shifted to effect operative movement of the plate.

5. In a double tongue switch mechanism, a switch boi; having openings in its end walls and provided with a vertical slot in a side wall, a plate mounted slidably on the base of the box for movement longitudinally thereof, said plate having upturned flanges at its end, switch tongue actuating rods slidable through said end wall openings and adjustably connected at their ends to the said plate flanges, a block slidably mounted on the plate for movement longitudinally thereof, bolts adjustably threaded into the ends of the block to limit its slidable movement with respect to the plate, and adapted to be engaged with the end flanges of the plate to effect its movement, a switch lever adapted to swing from one end of the box to the other, and having a stud at one end pivotally slidable in said wall slot and having a pivot pin connection adjacent the stud with the said block.

Signed at Seattle, King County, l/Vashington, this 11th day of December, 1925.

ROBERT MILLS EVANS. 

